


Not the one for you

by VanillaKiss



Category: BTOB
Genre: Blind Date, F/M, M/M, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-27
Updated: 2019-01-27
Packaged: 2019-10-17 13:22:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,600
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17561210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VanillaKiss/pseuds/VanillaKiss
Summary: It had been months since Sungjae's friends started nagging him because of his love life. Which, obviously, he didn't have. He had Joonwoo, his 5-year-old son, so he wasn't lonely. And finding someone who would be okay with a man who already has a kid? Impossible.





	Not the one for you

**Author's Note:**

> for day3 of iljaeweek2019january

“Don’t you want to start dating again? I mean, it’s been how many years? 2 or 3, right?” Minhyuk was sitting on the couch in between Peniel and Eunkwang. Sungjae was laying on the ground beside his son. They were watching a movie, more exactly Kiki’s Delivery Service. Joonwoo picked it because it was one of his favourites but in the end, Sungjae and his friends joined him. 

It had been months since his friends started nagging him because of his love life. Which, obviously, he didn't have. 

“I’m not interested in dating.” He said, not bothering to look up. 

“You’re still young.” Peniel was on Minhyuk’s side. Well, all of his friends were on the same side. 

He loved his friends, really, but sometimes it was too much. He had to think about his son, too. He was afraid if he starts dating again, he won't have enough time for Joonwoo. He didn't want to spend the nights with someone else in someone else’s house. But he couldn't bring up anyone if Joonwoo was there. It would be too awkward. Or was this just an excuse he told himself every time his friends brought up the topic? 

“And? It doesn’t mean I have to start dating. Maybe I’ll wait a few years. Also, I have Joonwoo. It’s not like I’m lonely or something.”

“Yeah, I know. But don’t you miss someone by your side? You haven't had anyone since she left you.” Minhyuk insisted. 

‘She’ - in other words Chaeyoung, Joonwoo’s mother. She and Sungjae started dating in high school and they loved each other so much, but after an unwanted event it slowly changed. They were 20 years old, still university students with dreams. But they decided to keep the baby even if that meant they had to give up on their dreams. But after almost 3 years, Chaeyoung decided to start studying again. She wanted to start a new life so she moved to another city. 

“Give it a try” Peniel said. 

Sungjae sighed. “Okay.” 

“We’ll try and find some good people. Girl? Boy?” Minhyuk asked.

“I don’t care until they like children and Joonwoo accepts them.” 

“Shhh” Joonwoo looked angrily at his dad. “I want to watch the movie.”

“Sorry, kid.”

And this is how Sungjae found himself in a fancy restaurant with a good-looking man in fancy clothes. If he wanted to be honest, he hated this whole date. The man was very smart but an asshole. At first, he asked Sungjae about his life, what his job was, what he liked to do in his free time, but he couldn't even answer because the man started talking about himself suddenly. He literally talked about everything that was related to him. 

“Sorry, I need to go to the bathroom.” Sungjae said after an hour. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

He stood up and went to the bathroom. The first thing he did after he closed the door was calling his friends. 

“Hey, Sungjae” He heard Minhyuk’s surprised voice. “Is it already over?”

“Unfortunately, not.” 

“Is he that bad?”

He leaned against the wall next to the door and sighed. “He keeps talking and talking and it’s like a never-ending date.” He sighed. “I wanted to tell him I have a kid but I couldn't because he’s talking about himself.”

“Look, he’s probably excited.”

“He isn’t. He asked me like two questions and the only thing I could say was my high school’s name. This was how it started, actually. We went to the same school.”

“Sorry. But go back, maybe it’ll be better.”

“Okay, I’ll give him a last chance.” He hung up and opened the door. A shorter boy was standing there, two glasses in his hands. He was one of the waiters. 

“Sorry, I just overheard what you said about your date and I have to tell you, that guy is the worst. He isn’t the one for you. You can find better.”

“I know, but I decided to give him a last chance. Maybe he’s too nervous or something, that's why he talks this much. Also, I have to tell him something important.”

“Good luck!” The waiter gave him a thumbs up before he left. 

Sungjae went back, sat down, and smiled at the man. It was time for that confession. 

“What do you think about kids? Do you want one later?” Sungjae asked, avoiding the real confession. He thought it would be better if he just subtly asks. 

“Woah, it’s just the first date and we’re already talking about kids?” The man didn't look too happy about it. “I don't like kids, to be honest. And I don't want kids. They would just hold me back. Hold us back. We should hire a babysitter since we’re both working and kids require too much time, especially if they’re still little. We wouldn’t have time for each other. Or wouldn’t have time for friends. I’m an outgoing person, I like parties, we can’t bring a child with us. So it’s a big no for me.”

“Ah, okay.” Sungjae was neither surprised nor disappointed. He didn't expect too much from this man. 

“You sound disappointed.”

“Really? I’m not disappointed.”

“Do you want kids?” He asked, sipping his wine. “You know, I’ve never thought about this but talking about what we want from this relationship in the future is a quite good topic to talk about on the first date. Honestly. Like, I don’t want kids. But you probably want.” He put his wine back to the table. “If we want kids, we have to adopt or find a surrogate mother. Look, I don’t want it, so I think, in the end, we wouldn’t have any kids.”

“We would” Sungjae said, barely audible. 

“What?” The man raised one of his eyebrows. 

“I already have one.” Sungjae said, not hiding how upset he was. Why would this asshole think that if he doesn't want kids then they won’t have one? He shouldn't have more power in this relationship than Sungjae. They should discuss it normally and not just say “I don’t want kids so we won’t have one”.

“Wait, no one told me this.”

“Yeah, sorry about that. I thought you already knew but my friend who set up the date didn’t tell you actually. I don't know why.”

“So it’s over?”

“Yes, I think that’s the best for both of us. We’re too different.”

The next date wasn’t the best again. It was the same restaurant but another man. He worked with Eunkwang in a library. Sungjae expected him to talk about books the whole night but the guy was a game-addict. He was worse than Eunkwang. He talked about games, tricks and tips and things Sungjae couldn't understand. 

“Do you like video games?” His date asked, hoping it was something they both liked. 

“Not really, but Joonwoo loves them.” Sungjae answered, waiting for his reaction. 

“Joonwoo? Your friend?”

“No, my son.”

“Oh” The man looked disappointed. “You’re a dad?”

“Yes, Joonwoo is my son. He’s 5.” Sungjae laughed awkwardly. “It’s okay. You probably don't want someone with a kid.”

“Sorry.” The man looked honest. “Even if I want kids in the future, I don't think I’m ready now.”

“Nah, it’s really okay.” Sungjae knew it won’t be easy to find someone who would be okay with raising someone else’s kid. 

They paid the bill, Sungjae’s date left but Sungjae decided to stay a little. He just wanted to be alone and drink something before he gets home. Hyunsik and Peniel were babysitting so Joonwoo wasn’t alone. 

“Hi, it’s you again.” The short waiter from last time appeared at Sungjae’s table. 

“Hi, yeah.”

“He wasn’t the one either.” He didn’t ask it, he stated it like a fact. 

“Yes, apparently, he doesn't want kids yet.”

“Oh? You have kids?!” The waiter looked surprised. It wasn’t like that look his date gave him. This face was only surprised. But his date’s face… You could clearly see the disappointment. 

“Yes. Sorry, disappointing, right?” Sungjae sighed. “Why am I trying to date? No one wants kids. Not when if it’s not theirs. I’m like a package with some unwanted plus.”

“If I would find the other person interesting and would love to know them better, then a kid wouldn’t bother me.” The waiter said with a shrug. “I think it depends on the person. So far, you’ve only dated the wrong ones.”

“How old are you?” Sungjae asked suddenly. The waiter didn't look older than him.

“26.”

“I’m 25. My son is 5.”

“I guessed you’re young. But those men looked older than you.”

“They were. The guy from the first date was 30. Today’s was 27.” Sungjae leaned back. “Maybe I should date younger people.”

“Yeah, maybe.” The waiter nodded. He opened his mouth then closed without saying anything. 

“My friends thought it’s better to date older people because they might be more accepting if it comes to single parents.” He checked the time. “I should go home. Joonwoo is probably waiting for me.” He stood up. It was only two dates but he had had already enough. 

“Your son?”

“Yes.”

“Good luck! Maybe next time you’ll have more luck.”

“Yeah, I hope.”

The third date wasn’t better either. It was a woman this time. She was cute but too young. She was still studying at a university and wanted to start working after she got her degree. Sungjae didn’t even mention his son. It would have been unnecessary. He didn’t want anything from this girl that would ruin her life and future. 

When he paid the bill, the waiter smiled at him sympathetically and whispered “looks like not the one again” to which Sungjae answered with a nod. 

The fourth date hadn’t even started but Sungjae already knew it’ll be a nightmare. Joonwoo got sick last minute and it was too late to ask his friends to babysit. He hated it but he had to take his son with him. But when he wanted to lock the door, he couldn't find his keys. He was 20 minutes late when he arrived with his kid who probably had a slight fever. 

Before he went to the table he ran into that waiter again who was probably the only best thing in his dates. 

“It’s you again. And Joonwoo?” He smiled at the boy. 

“Yes, it’s him.” Sungjae was out of breath. He ran from the parking lot with Joonwoo in his hands. 

“How do I look?” Sungjae asked the waiter. 

He narrowed his eyes. “Handsome as always?”

“Oh” Sungjae blushed.

“Can I help you somehow? You’re probably here because of a new date, right? I’m on my break anyway, I still have like 30 minutes left. I can take care of your son until my break ends. And I can ask someone to help me out when it ends.” The waiter offered with a bright smile. 

“Would you really do it for me?” 

“Of course! It’s no big deal.” He leaned down. “Joonwoo, is it okay with you?”

Joonwoo nodded. 

“Okay, now go” He winked at Sungjae. “Good luck!”

“Thank you.”

He found his new partner immediately. It was a woman again, Changsub's boss actually. Well, she didn't know that Sungjae knew Changsub because it was Hyunsik who set up the date. Hyunsik was friends with her brother. 

He apologized for being late and sat down. They started talking about themselves. The woman just broke up with her boyfriend and she was so sad, her brother thought it would be good to start dating again, maybe she can forget her ex. 

“And, what do you think? Can I help you to forget him?”

The woman took a deep breath. “I should have told you earlier, I’m sorry, but I didn't know how to start.” She smiled shyly. “My boyfriend called me while I was waiting for you. He regrets that he broke up with me and wants to try it again.”

“Wow, that's great!” Sungjae hated it, but he was relieved. The woman was nice, but not really his type. 

“I’m sorry.”

“No, no! It’s good, isn't it? You got him back.”

“Yes, I’m very happy.”

“You should go home. This date can cause misunderstandings.” Sungjae said softly. He didn’t want his date to think that he was sad or something. 

“Thank you.” They said goodbye and the woman left. 

Sungjae closed his eyes, leaning back on the chair. This dating thing was simply not for him. It felt so forced. He wasn’t ready for a new love and it was perfectly okay. He loved Joonwoo. Joonwoo was his everything. It was more important what was good for his son. He couldn't be selfish. Yeah, he wanted to date again. But only if it’s good for Joonwoo. That's why he had to wait and found someone who would actually care about his son. He couldn't just date anyone. 

“It was fast. My break is still not over.” He heard a familiar voice talking to him. 

Sungjae opened his eyes. The waiter was standing there, one hand on his waist, the other holding his son’s hand. Joonwoo didn’t like strangers even if they were people his dad know. He was scared every time a stranger started talking to him. He was kind of unapproachable. But it seemed he liked this waiter. 

“She wasn’t the one.” Sungjae said. “Joonwoo, let’s go home.” Joonwoo nodded sadly and let go of the waiter’s hand. Sungjae paid the bill and with his son in his arms, he headed toward the door. 

“Hey, wait!” The waiter ran after them. The father and his son stopped and turned toward his direction. “I know you’ve had enough of dating but I was wondering if you’d like to go on a date with me.”

“With you?” Sungjae didn’t know what to say. He didn’t see it coming. But thinking about it, the waiter was one of the best things here if not the only best. He was kind and helpful, and more importantly, understanding and accepting, also, Joonwoo liked him. Wasn't he perfect for them?

“Yeah. I wanted to ask you out for a while now but you always had someone new and I didn't know what to say.” He ruffled Joonwoo’s hair. “Also, I’m totally okay with your son. You have a kid? It's fine. A whole package with some totally wanted plus”

Sungjae laughed. The waiter was cute. 

“I’m also okay with Ilhoonie!” Joonwoo was a little too excited. 

“Ilhoonie?” Sungjae raised his eyebrows. “When did you two became so good friends that you can just call him ‘Ilhoonie’?” He glanced at Ilhoon who doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that his son called him Ilhoonie without honorifics. “And why do you know his name before me?”

“Ah, sorry, Jung Ilhoon.” The waiter introduced himself. “And you’re Yook Sungjae. Joonwoo told me everything.”

“He did?” Sungjae looked at his son who smiled back at him innocently. “Of course he did. So?” He turned back to Ilhoon. “When are you free?”

“On Saturday? At 5. So you’ll be back before Joonwoo falls asleep and you can give him his goodnight kiss.”

“Sounds good.” Joonwoo answered instead of Sungjae. “Then Saturday.”

“Wait, it’s my date, Joonwoo. Why are you the one answering the question?” Sungjae said to his son but the boy ignored him. 

“Take him to a movie. He’ll like it.” Joonwoo suggested. “Oh, a horror movie would be good so you can hold his hand if he gets scared.”

“I’m not scared of horror movies.” Sungjae pouted. “But okay. Saturday is good for me.”

**Author's Note:**

> twitter: 6vanillakiss


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